Orange you glad…

…that you’re not in prison? After compulsively watching all 13 episodes of Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, I’m going to have to say a BIG yes. Yep, I can safely say the big house would not be for me.

Have you caught the buzz about this original series yet? Essentially, the premise (based on the real life experiences of Piper Chapman Kerman) is this: young white Wasp, Piper, acts out after graduating Smith. Falls in love with lesbian international drug dealer and participates in carrying ill-gotten profits across international borders. Years later, her current life is disrupted (a serious understatement) when her former lover implicates Piper as a means to lighten her own punishment. Welcome to prison!

I’m not sure about you, but I know quite a few people who have made bad decisions during their lives. Perhaps not choices which, if discovered, would result in them being sentenced to 15 months in a federal penitentiary, but, still choices which could have resulted in serious consequences if brought to light. And that is the beauty of this series – the creators have assembled a wonderfully diverse population of female prison inmates who are completely relatable as complicated and flawed human beings.

The richness of the writing and acting transcend the facility’s imposing walls and create an environment where compelling characters interact as they serve their time. The circumstances which led to the inmates’ incarceration are as varied as you might imagine. Many of the situations highlight societal issues like poverty, racism, access to mental health care and addiction and are thought-provoking.

Yet, it is not a grim show. There are moments of joy and humor and tenderness which prevent OITNB from being purely depressing. The flashback scenes which reveal the situations which ultimately led to the women’s convictions, all illustrate a consistent truism of life: bad choices can lead to serious consequences.